


Broken Spirals

by Rose_gold_goddess



Series: Dirty Hearts & Restless Minds [1]
Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Bisexual Female Character, Deep Route Spoilers (Mystic Messenger), Especially about the smut, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Explicit Language, F/M, Getting to Know Each Other, Han Jumin Has Feelings, Han Jumin's Route, MC is an OC, Not Canon Compliant, Or at least not all the time, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Original Female Character, Past Relationship(s), Self-Doubt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-04-04
Packaged: 2019-10-16 10:34:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17548031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_gold_goddess/pseuds/Rose_gold_goddess
Summary: I like dirty heartsand restless minds,the old soulsthat have knownhard lives;the ones whocast the mostbeautiful shine.-Nicole Lyons"Funny. I'm suddenly curious whether or not you'll be able to fill my void.""Let's talk more from now on. Then you'll be able to know."





	1. Orientation

**Author's Note:**

> My take on Jumin's route with my MC, Poppy. This will take some liberties with canon, obviously, though will also borrow straight canon on occasion. I was just incredibly attached and moved by Jumin's route and **had** to write about it. Currently this is honestly probably a "Mature" in rating (for language, mainly) but I know it's going to be explicit later so I'd rather be honest upfront and just rate it "Explicit" right off the bat.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Poppy's face claim:
> 
>    
> 

“Wait! No - damn!”

Poppy slowed as the train began to pull away from the platform, watching as her connection sped away from her. It was just her luck, today - called out for not paying attention in class, lectured afterwards by the professor for her lackluster performance on the last test and lack of engagement in the classroom. She was still smarting from their comments, and her inability to simply _tell_ them, to confess to _someone_ what she hadn’t yet been able to voice aloud.

Her final year of university, and she hated her major, hated her studies, couldn’t imagine going into business management and the financial world as everyone expected of her. A year abroad was meant to help, the transfer and opportunities available to her through her father’s work supposed to drag her out of her rut. All it had done, though, was cement her certainty that she had made the wrong choices and made her lonelier than she could have imagined.

And now she’d missed her train, which meant she’d be late for her orientation at C&R. Her first day, when making an impression mattered the most, and she was going to be incredibly late.

Of course, she only had herself to blame, and the day just couldn’t get any worse. Deep down she could only assume she had sabotaged herself, dragging her feet to miss what she knew was the last train that would get her there on time. She had been dreading it all day, didn’t want to go at all, and subconsciously must have set herself up for failure.

That had to be it.

Now she stood staring at her phone, debating what to do. Would it be worse to not show up at all? Or should she call Assistant Kang and tell her she would be late?

Her father had pulled strings to get her this internship, and now she was about to ruin it. She could only imagine the lecture she was going to get from her parents when they found out, which they were sure to, just as they always did when she made a mistake.

Well - it couldn’t get any worse than this.

Poppy opened her emails, resigning herself to finding Assistant Kang’s number again and calling her to explain. It wasn’t as if calling and confessing to being late would make matters worse -

She frowned when she saw a new email from C&R, titled “For Your Orientation.” She hurried to open it, scanning the contents quickly to see if there was any way she could turn this around.

 

_Please download this chat app before your orientation for maximum efficiency when communicating with Chief Assistant Kang._

 

The line stood out with a blue link to the app store, and Poppy only hesitated a moment before she clicked it to install. Perhaps this would be the way Assistant Kang preferred to be contacted. Wouldn't already having the chat app make up the tiniest bit for having missed her train?

It felt like a shot in the dark, but as soon as the app was downloaded, she opened it to create a profile. Foregoing uploading a photo for the sake of time, she quickly input Poppy as the name and hurried to connect. The screen went black for a moment, then opened to a blank chat room. As soon as it connected, a message appeared.

 

[Unknown]: Hello?

[Unknown]: Oh thank god I’ve been hoping one of the new interns would hop on, I’m in a time crunch.

[Unknown]: You’re one of the interns, right? You can see this?

[Poppy]: Yes, I can see this. And yes I’m one of the new interns. I was hoping to reach Assistant Kang with this app.

[Unknown]: She’s getting ready for orientation. I need help though.

[Unknown]: Hey shouldn’t you almost be at orientation?

[Poppy]: I missed my train, I need to tell her I’m late.

[Unknown]: Oh! Perfect.

[Unknown]: I’m swamped at the office, but I need someone to run and grab something for me.

[Unknown]: Since you’re not already on your way, you could swing by and get it, and bring it with you.

[Poppy]: No, I need to catch the next train. I’m already going to be late for orientation.

[Unknown]: It’s ok I’ll vouch for you. I’ll tell them it was my fault.

[Unknown]: Here, is this address close to you?

[Unknown]: **Link**

 

Poppy sighed and clicked the link, zooming in on the map to see how close it was to her train station. To her surprise, it was only a few blocks away.

 

[Poppy]: It is, actually.

[Unknown]: Great! Can you go to that address and let me know when you’re there?

 

Poppy chewed her lip for a moment, considering her options. She hadn’t expected it to actually work, but perhaps this employee would vouch for her as they said, and would help smooth over the fact that she was late.

 

[Unknown]: You still there? As I said, I’m kind of under a time crunch.

[Poppy]: Yes, I’ll go now.

[Unknown]: Thank you so much. Let me know when you’re there.

[Poppy]: Will do.

 

She locked her phone and threw it back into her leather messenger bag. Clutching it tightly to her side she hurried across the platform and through the train station. She muttered the cross streets under her breath the whole time, half-skipping and going as fast as the crowded streets and her Oxford heels would let her. There was still time before the next train, if she could just hurry.

Once she reached the cross streets she slowed and pulled her phone from her bag, opening the map again to find the building she needed. Turning on the spot until she found the correct one, she scanned her surroundings and finally saw the tall building. It looked residential, and for only a moment she hesitated and considered turning back.

But this was a chance to get herself out of this situation, and so she hurried into the building and took the elevator up to the suite number listed in the address. She stopped outside the door, frowning as she took in the large passcode lock above the handle.

_What the hell?_

 

[Poppy]: I’m here but - there’s this huge passcode lock on the door. Are you sure this is the right place?

[Unknown]: Yeah, it’s totally fine. Corporate apartment, don’t worry about it.

[Poppy]: I mean is anyone home? I don’t want to just barge into where someone lives…

[Unknown]: No, don’t worry about that.

[Unknown]: Here, try this passcode, should be right.

[Unknown]: 4131

 

Poppy paused for a moment, glancing between her phone screen and the heavy lock on the door. With a sigh she pressed 4 - 1 - 3 -1 on the keypad. There was a soft beep and then the door seemed to relax, and she tried the handle. The door swung open, a slightly stale smell emanating from the apartment as if it hadn’t been ventilated in quite a while.

 

[Unknown]: Did it work?

[Poppy]: Yes, the door opened.

[Unknown]: Great, why don’t you go on in.

[Poppy]: What am I looking for?

[Unknown]: You’ll know it when you see it.

 

Poppy sighed and glanced up, waiting only one moment more before she pushed the door open the rest of the way and entered the apartment. She flicked on the light switch and looked around, surprised by the pristine condition of the interior as well as the walls lined with what looked like metal filing cabinets and lockers, as well as a few safes. There was a double bed and a desk with a computer equipped with a large monitor as well.

Yet she didn’t see anything that stood out that she could be looking for.

 

[Poppy]: I’m afraid I don’t see what you mean.

[Poppy]: Can you describe it for me? I want to get back and catch the next train. I’m already late enough as it is.

[Unknown]: Have fun.

_Unknown has left the chatroom._

 

“What?” Poppy said aloud, staring at her phone before she raised her gaze and stared around the apartment, at a complete loss. She was just about to turn around and go, but looked at her phone one last time, hoping perhaps they had just been disconnected temporarily.

 

_Poppy has entered the chatroom._

 

The screen had changed, actually showing a background instead of blackness, and she suddenly found her screen scrolling with a full conversation led by people whose names she didn’t recognize, until -

 

[Jumin Han]: If you want to work for our company, you should take care of your GPA.

 

Poppy’s eyes widened, staring at the name: _that was the C &R Director_. The one she would have been working under - well, at least, working under his Chief Assistant. So then, was this still a C&R chatroom? Had she simply found a different one before?

They were talking about such random things, only vaguely related to the company. It almost seemed like - a private chatroom? The others were critiquing Mr. Han and joking so freely, there was no way this was a professional setting.

So how had she gotten access to it?

 

[707]: WAIT!!

[Yoosung]: Why?

[Zen]: ??

[707]: Think someone entered the chat room;;

[Jumin Han]: Poppy?

 

Poppy’s heart sped up, feeling as if she’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t be. She was certain now that she _wasn’t_ meant to be in this chat, and she couldn’t understand at all how she had ended up in a private chatroom with the Director of C&R. 

 

[707]: **Hacker!**

[Yoosung]: Hacker!? Therae’s a hacker in over room!!!

[Yoosung]: Sevnee do somethign!!

[Zen]: Hey, typos -_-;;

[707]: Wait a sec. I’m searching.

[Jumin Han]: Who are you? Reveal yourself. Hey, Assistant Kang.

 

_Shit._

For a moment she seriously considered turning her phone off, walking out the door of the apartment, and deleting the app, but she couldn’t fully think through the fog in her mind. The question of _how_ and _who_ kept racing again and again until she couldn’t focus on anything else, and couldn’t really imagine not doing what she could to find out how she’d ended up in this situation.

Perhaps - no, there wasn’t still a chance this was part of orientation, was there?

 

[Jumin Han]: Why is a stranger in our chatroom?

[Jaehee Kang]: No one can enter this chatroom without installing the private app we use...It seems someone has downloaded the RFA Messenger.

[Yoosung]: I thought Seven let only us download it?

[Zen]: Maybe someone downloaded the app on two phones?

[707]: Maybe?

[Jumin Han]: Who downloaded it twice?

 

There was no avoiding it - she needed to explain, somehow. Her prospects for the internship were nonexistent, now, but she could at least put their worries to rest. Or just try to figure out how she’d reached this point.

Cringing she began to type out an explanation, trying to decide how best to phrase it. Maybe she could avoid letting them know she was supposed to be an intern and was skipping orientation.

 

[Poppy]: Um...hello...I think perhaps there’s been a mistake?

[Yoosung]: **Gahhhhh it’s talking!!**

[Zen]: So it’s not two smartphones.

[Jumin Han]: Who is it?

[Yoosung]: Find out what it is!

[Poppy]: I’m a student, I was talking to someone else and suddenly I got connected here.

 

She could only hope that was vague enough, that perhaps she could avoid talking about the C&R email.

 

[Jaehee Kang]: How did you find out about this place? Where did you download the application?

[Poppy]: I was sent a link in an email, I thought it was for - a job. I’m confused, what is this?

[707]: **Oh…^^; Wait.**

[707]: Just found something. This is weird.

[Zen]: What is it. Hurry and tell me.

[707]: I traced the IP…

[707]: It’s from Rika’s apartment.

[Yoosung]: **Rika’s apartment?**

[Jumin Han]: Where was it?

[Jaehee Kang]: The location is not revealed. I know it to be classified.

 

_Classified?_

Poppy frowned and looked around the apartment, taking a few steps further, turning in place as she took in her surroundings. How had she ended up here? And why was it a secret location?

Moreover - how had someone gotten her here if no one knew where _here_ was?

 

[707]: Someone must have broken into her apartment.

[Poppy]: Wait, no - I didn’t break in. Someone gave me the address, and the passcode for the door. I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to be here, they told me they needed something.

[707]: **Who did!?**

[Poppy]: I don’t know, I thought it was a...co-worker, perhaps?

[Jumin Han]: You don’t know?

[Yoosung]: Yaeh how did youu not knwo?

[Zen]: Hey, typo.

[Yoosung]: I **’m too sacred! Can’t type T_T**

[707]: lol

[Jumin Han]: **Quit shitting around.**

[Jumin Han]: Username Poppy. How did you get this app? Who gave you that address?

[Poppy]: I don’t know, their username was “Unknown” I thought maybe I just didn’t have them in my contacts? I’m so confused - are you saying no one should have this address?

[Poppy]: Who sent it to me then?

[Jaehee Kang]: That seems to be the question we’d all like answered as well.

[Jumin Han]: How do we know you are not lying?

 

Poppy chewed her lip, debating how to answer that. Honestly, she didn’t have a good way to assure them. To her surprise when she looked back at the screen she found it full of messages, the members of the chat taking turns to introduce themselves and the others - the few, like Mr. Han, who didn’t reveal themselves first and seemed hesitant to do so.

 

[707]: Oh, fyi, Jumin has the cutest cat.

[Jumin Han]: Hey.

[Jumin Han]: Why are we talking about Elizabeth the 3rd to a stranger?

[707]: The cat’s name is Elizabeth the 3rd.

 

He sent a photo, and Poppy had hardly a moment to take in the sight of a well-dressed man petting a beautiful white cat before Mr. Han began to chastise the other member. They all began arguing between themselves, about cats, sharing photos, and Poppy took another moment to look around the apartment.

It didn’t seem to have been lived in in a very long time, the stale smell of the room almost suffocating now that the door was shut behind her. Upon further inspection all of the filing cabinets and safes seemed heavily secured, a few of the lockers bearing padlocks and the safes and cabinets all with keypads.

_Where the hell am I?_

For some reason she found herself terrified to touch anything, and simply stood in the middle of the room, keeping her arms and bag close to her side as she watched the conversation in the chatroom unfold.

 

[Jaehee Kang]: I think it would be a good idea to contact V.

[707]: Yeah. I think that’s a good idea.

[707]: I’ll call and explain everything.

[Jumin Han]: I can call.

[707]: Already on it lol

[Yoosung]: But shouldn’t we tell Poppy what this chatroom is for first?

[Yoosung]: She has to know how serious it is that she’s here!

[Jumin Han]: What’s more serious is that she’s in Rika’s apartment.

[Jaehee Kang]: I am always ready to call the police.

[Jumin Han]: Until we figure out who Poppy is

[Jumin Han]: I don’t want to reveal anything.

[707]: Wecan.

[707]: Sorry callingvandtypingwithonehand

[Yoosung]: Type after you finish the call.

[707]: Lookedintoownerofdevice

[707]: she’scutelol

 

Poppy’s heart sped up even more, the rapid thumping of her heart in her rib cage seeming to echo in the otherwise eerily silent apartment. But if he’d looked into her as he said, would that mean he would find out about how she got here?

There wasn’t a chance he’d found that email, had he? He’d mentioned hacking earlier, what if - what if he had hacked her emails? He knew what she looked like? That had to mean he knew her name too -

_Shit.  
_

She couldn’t tell what was scarier at the moment - that someone had found her information? That she was in a strange place, led here by a stranger no one seemed to know, with no clear motive as to why?

Or Mr. Han and Chief Assistant Kang finding out she was supposed to be at orientation at the moment?

With an incredulous laugh to herself she shook her head and tried to figure out what to do. Was it too late to come clean? No, they’d only suspect her more. She hadn’t even really done anything wrong; she’d been tricked, but she knew they’d have little reason to believe her.

Chewing her lip she looked back at the chat, noticing that she’d missed quite a bit. A new member was in the chat, catching up with everyone, but before she could scroll up to see what she had missed the newcomer said something that made her pause.

 

[Jumin Han]: Who disclosed the password for Rika’s apartment?

[V]: Well. No one knew the password. I don’t even know.

[Yoosung]: ...Thought V knew.

[Yoosung]: She never invited me to the apartment.

[Poppy]: Wait, so did this Rika person send it to me? Was that who Unknown was?

[Jumin Han]: That is not possible.

[Poppy]: Why not? If she’s the only one who knew the passcode…Stands to reason, no?

[Jumin Han]: No. It could not have been her.

 

Her question was swept up in demands to know the address, assurances that it wasn’t possible at all, though the reason wasn't immediately made clear to her. Poppy was lost, again considering simply walking out the door and away from the situation. Facing lectures from her parents seemed like less of a headache than all of this. The chat had dissolved into discussion of classified documents, which explained the heavy locks and protections on all of the cabinets lining the walls of the apartment. What was this chat for if they didn’t know where this apartment was or how to get into it? None of this made sense, and trying to untangle it all in her mind was starting to hurt.

 

[V]: Please do not touch anything there.

[Poppy]: Nothing? The furniture even?

[Poppy]: I’m feeling a bit shocked, to be quite honest. I’d like to sit down.

[V]: Yes, you may use the basic furniture. But I repeat, please do not touch any of the documents.

 

Poppy understood him to mean all of the cabinets, and she resisted the urge to correct him with the assurance that she couldn’t find any of them even if she wanted to. Instead she walked to the chair behind the desk and sank into it, stiffly taking her place on the edge of the seat - as if something bad was going to happen now that she had touched something.

The feeling didn’t go away as she continued to watch the conversation unfold, watching them speculate how she had been led there. This new person, V, seemed certain that it _had_ in fact, been Rika. Though the vague way they all spoke about it made her wonder, until what they said finally confirmed it.

Rika was - dead?

Poppy kept her eyes glued to the screen, watching as they all seemed to come to some decision that involved her, but -

 

[Jumin Han]: Why doesn’t everyone stop talking and Assistant Kang summarize everything for her.

[Jumin Han]: And invite her to the organization.

[Jaehee Kang]: Alright.

 

_Wait - invite me?_

Poppy read quickly as Assistant Kang explained what the chatroom was for, who Rika had been, what RFA stood for, and even though it made sense she found herself even more confused. How had they gone so quickly from not trusting her and thinking she had broken in to inviting her to help them host a fundraising party? All because of what this person ‘V’ had said?

Yet it sounded like a good opportunity...and after all, she likely didn’t have the internship anymore, though she dared not bring it up. Planning a party sounded like much more fun than what had been set in motion for her otherwise. In a weird way, even though she still didn’t know how she got there, she found herself glad that she had.

 

[Jumin Han]: Wait, we still haven’t heard from Poppy.

[Jumin Han]: Poppy…

[Jumin Han]: All we are trying to do is host parties, raise funds, gather people… and things like that.

[Jumin Han]: Our organization has done a lot of good so far.

[Jumin Han]: ...You will never regret joining.

[Yoosung]: I thought Jumin was against her. Why the sudden change?

[Jumin Han]: I am only following V’s decision.

 

Poppy watched with glazed eyes as the chat continued, as a small bout of bickering broke out, fascination over her being a girl as well as speculations that Mr. Han was gay, for some reason - but her mind wandered over what they were asking.

Yes...yes why not? A new sort of opportunity. It seemed almost too good to be true, honestly.

 

[Poppy]: Alright. It looks fun. I’ll give it a go.

[Yoosung]: That’s a fast decision..

[Jumin Han]: Ha. I like it.

 

For some reason that made her smile - maybe it would be all right about the internship? Or maybe they’d never find out.

 

[Jumin Han]: I need to get going.

[Jaehee Kang]: Yes, we need to see how orientation went. Oh, Mr. Han, one of the new interns didn’t show up.

[Jumin Han]: What?

[Jaehee Kang]: Yes, the one Mr. Owens contacted me about and recommended specifically.

[Jumin Han]: Typical. I suppose now we have to deal with this.

[Jaehee Kang]: Yes. What would you like to do?

[Jumin Han]: Come to my office. We'll discuss it there.

[Jaehee Kang]: Of course.

[Jumin Han]: Poppy.

[Jumin Han]: We’ll see how you do.

_Jumin Han has left the chatroom._

_Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom._

 

The others continued to wish her luck before they also left, and Poppy stared at the now quiet chatroom, heart racing once more.

Before she could fully decide what to do, her phone vibrated in her hand. There was another notification within the app, and as she took a moment to figure out how to navigate the options the hacker 707 had mentioned connecting to her version of the app, she got a few more.

But it was the first that caught her attention.

 

 _707 (sent 13:48):_ So, Prudie Owens. P.O. Is that how you got Poppy? Guess it’s better than Prudence Edith Owens. Poppy. Poppppppy. Poppy Poppy Popppyyyyyyy.

 _707 (sent 13:48):_ You ever going to go to that internship, Prudie?

 

Poppy stared at the text, jaw dropping. He really had found out about her. Her fingers shook as she typed out a reply, deciding it was useless to hide anything. What was the point, since he likely knew it all anyway?

 

 _Poppy (sent 13:49):_ I...don’t know what to do. I missed my train because of this. I probably missed the orientation, and now I didn’t tell them...

 _707 (sent 13:49):_ The co-worker you mentioned. From C&R?

 _Poppy (sent 13:49):_ That’s what it seemed like, had a C&R address. They told me they needed me to pick something up for the office, knew I was an intern.

 _707 (sent 13:50):_ Hmm. Forward me the email using this app. I want to trace it.

 _Poppy (sent 13:50):_ Alright...

 _Poppy (sent 13:51):_ Wait are you - are you going to tell Assistant Kang or Mr. Han?

 _707 (sent 13:51):_ Haven’t decided yet. From what I can tell you’re just a cutie who got phished. You don’t seem dangerous. But you should tell them.

 _707 (sent 13:51):_ After all they seemed prettttttty upset that an intern didn’t show. Tsk tsk. First day on the job.

 _707 (13:51):_ Or I guess...not on the job lololol

 

Poppy chewed her lip, staring at the texts and feeling guilty. She had lied instinctively, but now - how on Earth would she explain?

_Shit!_

 

 _Poppy (sent 13:53):_ Hey, um...can I leave the apartment? This is so weird.

 _707 (sent 13:54):_ You can come and go as you please, I guess. So long as you remember the password!! And remember don’t touch anything! Don’t want to set off alarms lolol

 _Poppy (sent 13:55):_ Alarms!? What?

 _707 (sent 13:55):_ Just don’t touch anything…!

 

Poppy’s eyes widened as she looked around the apartment, suddenly feeling uneasy about everything all over again.

What a strange day…

Just as she thought it her phone began to buzz, and her heart jumped into her throat at the name displayed.

 

_Jumin Han._

 

She almost dropped her phone in her haste to answer, and wasn’t even able to really say a greeting before he was talking.

“Hello? ...You picked up right away,” he greeted as soon as the line clicked. His voice was low and smooth, and he continued as if he didn’t expect her to say anything. “I believe this is your first time hearing my voice. My name is Jumin Han, though I’m sure your app already made that clear.”

She couldn’t even think of anything to say because her mind was still racing. Wasn’t he calling about the internship? After the texts from 707, that seemed the logical conclusion: calling to see why Mr. Owens’ intern - daughter - hadn’t shown. Then again why would he call about that himself? Assistant Kang would have called instead, right?

Still he continued as if he didn’t expect her to answer at the moment, so she had hardly any time to register what was going on. Returning her attention to his Korean, she tried to bury the apprehension making her hands shake in simply translating his words.

“You must be glad to talk to me, but there’s really nothing to be glad of. I called you only because I wished to hear our new recruit’s voice,” he told her, rather matter-of-factly. Almost - coldly. “Nothing more.”

So - not about the internship then, for certain. That was oddly reassuring, though 707’s advice that she tell them echoed in her mind.

“But I will take just one question,” Mr. Han continued. “Ask me if you have any.”

_What is RFA?_

_Do you really not know how I ended up here?_

_Are you still suspicious of me?_

_Any chance you could offer a wayward intern leniency?_

Too many questions came to mind until she found herself blurting out one she really hadn’t planned to ask.

“How does my voice sound?” she asked in her best Korean.

“You want a review on your voice from me?” he asked, sounding slightly surprised. “I didn’t want to touch on such details...I’ll give it a try if you wish, however. So...speak again. Slowly.”

Something about the command made her heart race faster, and she swallowed before she could try speaking again, saying the first thing that came to mind. “Jumin Han. Like this?”

“...I didn’t expect you to say my name,” he commented after a moment’s pause. “You’re quite bold for a newcomer. That was a bit of a surprise.”

There was a quality to his voice she couldn’t ascertain, almost as if he was - impressed?

“But that doesn’t matter,” he added. “And here’s my review - and observations, I suppose. You’re British, are you not?”

“Y-yes,” she answered, feeling slightly surprised.

“I can tell, the inflections on your Korean are very distinct,” he mused. “Speak again, slowly still, if you please. I’d like to try guessing the region.”

“Can you tell that?” she asked, forgetting his instruction for her to speak and just sputtering the words.

“Yes, I can,” he assured her slowly. “It’s very posh. London, I’m assuming? It sounds similar to the accents I hear when I travel there for business. Am I correct?”

“Yes, you are,” she answered, and flinched when she realized she’d spoken in English instinctively. “I apologize, I meant -” she tried again in Korean, but a low, brief chuckle interrupted her.

“I knew I’d be able to place it,” he told her, surprisingly speaking in perfect, if not lightly accented, English. “Well, you asked for a review, so I will give it now that I’ve had my fun guessing. Often I’d get to see someone from a client company with a voice that penetrates my eardrums. I’d actually get to hear a voice that sounds like glass bowls shattering into pieces during a business meeting.”

Poppy frowned, looking around the apartment as she listened to him. Surely he wasn’t about to criticize her voice, was he?

“But your voice is - very fine,” he continued in English. “I like it. I wouldn’t deny hearing your voice some more. I’d say it is as pleasurable as Elizabeth the 3rd’s voice. You should be happy. That is the best compliment I can offer you.”

“I - th-thank you,” she told him, still responding in English as he seemed inclined to carry on the conversation in her native tongue. Perhaps he thought it would give him a better feel for her voice?

“And I believe one question is enough,” he said, not acknowledging her gratitude. But he didn’t say anything more, though the line was still live.

Before she could stop herself, an awkward, obligatory decorum took over. “How has your day been?”

“It has been incredibly busy, and my mind cannot quiet from the abrupt appearance of a stranger in our chatroom,” he answered slowly. “I believe I said only one question, yet you ask another as if it is your first. But I’ll answer it, since I am relatively free at the moment. This won’t happen again, however.”

The chastisement was light but firm, and Poppy bit her lip and wondered if she should apologize. She had only been trying to be polite, all things considered, but she realized she had made a mistake asking a question past the one he had allowed, no matter how innocuous.

“I have several meetings to attend, but my mind will not stop racing. I feel out of sorts, considering your unexpected arrival with the RFA. I don’t like changes to my schedule or routine, and between you joining RFA and the issues with the interns, I would like for my day to end, to be quite honest.”

Poppy gulped, hoping that the sound didn’t carry over the phone.

“I wish to be home with Elizabeth the 3rd,” he continued, and she felt assured that he must not have heard her nervous reaction. “She is my dear companion cat. She is truly a beautiful creature, from head to paws. I miss her dearly. After a long day such as this, a glass of wine and her presence would do much to soothe me.”

“You talk of your cat as if she is a person,” Poppy mused before she could stop herself.

“Of course. Who else do you think I’d treasure so much other than her?” he challenged softly. “She is the most beautiful creature on Earth.”

There was a brief pause, Poppy uncertain if she should say anything after how he had reacted to her second question.

But he gave a soft sigh that sounded almost like a laugh and spoke once more. “Well, you might as well ask any other questions you might have. I have a few more minutes before my next meeting, and I’m quite bored, so it wouldn’t be so bad to listen to your voice like a radio.”

“H-how old are you?” she stuttered out, and immediately regretted it. Why had she asked? She just couldn’t tell from the way he spoke to her, and she hadn’t done much research into C&R to prepare for the internship. Curiosity got the better of her.

“I am twenty-seven years old,” he told her.

“Are you the oldest in the RFA?” she asked again, raising her eyebrows. He was only six years older than her, and already so accomplished. She couldn't imagine.

“V and I are the oldest of everyone,” came the answer. “And I believe it is rude to ask someone how old they are.”

“A-apologies, I was just - I’m quite shaken, I suppose,” she confessed.

“Yes, I suppose you are correct. As surprising as it was for us, if your story about this ‘Unknown’ was true, you must also be in quite an amount of shock,” he mused. “Oh - Assistant Kang will be here in a moment, I must prepare. That wasn’t too bad. I must go now, to return to my meetings.”

“It - it was nice hearing your voice,” Poppy told him, wishing for a moment to thank him for speaking English with her. There were times that she missed it, though she had known Korean since she was young when her family had lived in Seoul for several years for her father's work.

“I’d say the same,” he said. “I think it’s the first time time passed so fast while talking with someone on the phone. Interesting. Now I must really hang up. I’ll call you when I have the chance. Perhaps take the opportunity to stay fresh on my English, though I don’t really need it. Well. Excuse me.”

And he hung up.

Though she expected for the tight band around her heart to ease now that the phone conversation was over and she hadn’t been caught as the intern who had missed orientation, she only felt as if the band tightened. Her heart continued racing and she absently tapped her phone against her chin as she looked around the apartment, still trying to soak in this strange new reality.

She had been given permission to come and go as she pleased - and she’d need to head back to her aunt’s apartment that evening to keep her from worrying. What she’d manage to tell Agnes she wasn’t quite sure, but in the meantime she had this whole place to herself. It felt like a welcome reprieve, if she was being honest with herself.

While she couldn’t dig through the cabinets or poke around - she could lay on the bed and read, undisturbed. After all she’d managed to find the biography on Diane de Poitiers she’d been hoping for in the library, and now she could read it without anyone breathing down her neck about finance and management.

Smiling to herself she pulled the book from her leather bag and made her way to the bed, throwing herself onto the strangely meticulous comforter and opening to her marked page. All she had to do was answer emails and chat with the other members of RFA, which actually didn’t sound half bad, when she thought about it. For once, her mistake had turned into something worthwhile.


	2. Picture Perfect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love face claims, and found the perfect one for Poppy's Aunt Agnes so figured I'd share just because:
> 
>  

The ride back from the apartment was longer than the one from her university or what it would have been from the C&R building, but at least she didn’t have to make any connections. And to her surprise there was a seat available once she boarded, though she had decided to head back after most people got off work to avoid the crowds. She planned to tell Agnes orientation had run late, and she’d wanted to make a good impression by working as long as the assistants did, instead of leaving as soon as she could.

The rest of the afternoon she’d relaxed in the apartment, reading and trying to wrap her mind around what had happened and her strange surroundings. She didn’t touch any of the cabinets and was too scared to try the computer, even though Seven had explained how to use it for her ‘work’ for RFA. His mention of _alarms_ had terrified her away from trying. For the time being, she could work from her phone until she worked up the nerve to settle into the apartment a bit more.

Now sitting on the train, Poppy found herself fidgeting with the app, messing with settings and familiarizing herself with it. There was plenty of time to kill, and she finally found the options to set photos and random thoughts as the others seemed to do frequently. The app was incredibly advanced, and she marveled at the fact that Seven seemed to have put it all together himself.

_Profile photo._

For a moment she paused, thumb hesitating over the button to upload a photo. What was the point in hiding? She was working with these people, and if what Seven said was correct, he could likely send them all a photo of her any time he wanted.

Poppy hit upload and began scrolling through the photos saved on her phone, trying to find a good one - she thought it should be professional, in a sense, considering her role in RFA. She stopped at one photo, her heart squeezing uncomfortably for a moment as she remembered it. Or rather, as she remembered who took it.

It had been windy that day, some of her hair loose and blowing across her face. But Lydia had called to her, and snapped the photo of her when Poppy looked back to smile at her. Despite the bittersweet memory, it was one of her favorites, and even with the slightly windblown look it was likely professional enough.

More so than Seven’s at least, whose current photo was just a question mark, or Jumin’s, surprisingly a picture of his cat.

Well, perhaps now they’d stop trying to guess what she looked like every time they were in the chatroom…

After selecting and saving the photo she found the line for a status, debating again as she chewed her lip.

_Hoping to do my best!_

She scrunched her nose as soon as she hit save, hating how she suddenly felt like it made her sound almost needy, desperate for validation and approval. Then again, that seemed to be a theme in her life, especially in recent months with everything that had happened.

Her phone let out a soft, melodic beep and she raised her eyebrows at the sound. She was still getting used to its strange chime, but knew it meant someone was active in the chatroom. When she went to enter it she saw it was Zen and Jumin, and didn’t have to wonder at the way her heart sped up at the sight of the Director’s name.

She still hadn’t thought of how to tell him.

 

[Zen]: Poppy!

[Zen]: You’re here.

[Poppy]: Zen, Jumin, hello.

[Zen]: Woah~ wait! Is that you!? You put a picture?

[Zen]: WOW~!

[Jumin Han]: Hello Poppy.

[Jumin Han]: I hope your day was productive.

[Poppy]: Zen, haha...yes decided I should have something more than just a black square…

[Poppy]: Jumin, it was...interesting to say the least. I hope you had a good day. Are you finished with work?

[Jumin Han]: I am. Thankfully I am home now.

[Zen]: I still can’t get over that picture.

[Zen]: Wait - how do we know it’s really you?

[Zen]: You could have just found a photo.

[Jumin Han]: What would be the purpose of a fake photo?

[Jumin Han]: We would find out at the party anyway. Or Luciel would tell us since he found a picture of her.

[Zen]: True…

[Poppy]: What, you want proof that’s me or something?

[Zen]: I’d never say no to a selfie~

[Jumin Han]: Clearly.

[Zen]: HEY

[Zen]: Don’t listen to that jerk Poppy.

[Zen]: I’m just thinking of you know - the safety of the RFA.

[Jumin Han]: Is that what you’re calling it?

[Zen]: Shut up. God.

[Poppy]: Oh no people are going to stare at me if I laugh too much…

[Jumin Han]: I’m glad you at least appreciated my joke.

[Zen]: …

 

Poppy giggled, pressing her lips together to try to stifle the noise and not draw attention to herself from the other passengers. After fixing her collar and sweater, she brushed the pieces of hair that had fallen into her face aside and turned her camera on. The lighting in the subway was atrocious, but they’d at least be able to see that it was her. So she gave a small smile and took the picture.

 

[Zen]: I didn’t think you’d send one!

[Jumin Han]: Interesting.

[Jumin Han]: Where are you?

[Poppy]: The subway?

[Jumin Han]: ...so that’s the subway?

[Zen]: Omg. Do you not even know what the subway looks like?

[Jumin Han]: I don’t know where it is.

[Poppy]: Underground?

[Jumin Han]: I mean to say I don’t know how to get there.

[Poppy]: Oh. There’s stops all over, you could find a map and see which one is close to you.

[Jumin Han]: It would be interesting to study. Though I’m not sure what the purpose would be, I’m not likely to ever use it.

[Zen]: Ugh Mr. Trust Fund Kid…

[Jumin Han]: I just meant I have a driver, why would I take the subway?

[Poppy]: New experiences?

[Jumin Han]: Hmm. Perhaps.

[Zen]: ANYWAY~~

[Zen]: So where are you going, Poppy?

[Poppy]: Home. Or I guess where I’m staying.

[Jumin Han]: Are they not the same?

[Poppy]: Well home is in London...this is just...where I’m staying while here.

[Zen]: Wait you’re not staying here? How long are you here for?

[Poppy]: Oh, at least nine more months. I’m finishing school here.

[Zen]: Oh you’re studying? Good for you!

[Zen]: I didn’t ever do well in school but I’m impressed by those who keep going ^^

[Poppy]: Haha...it is quite the struggle, to be honest.

[Jumin Han]: What are you studying?

[Poppy]: Um business, actually.

[Zen]: Ugh not you too

[Poppy]: well…

[Jumin Han]: You don’t sound so sure.

[Poppy]: It’s difficult to explain.

[Jumin Han]: Is it?

[Zen]: Maybe it’s personal?

[Poppy]: It’s just complicated. I’m not so sure about it, but my parents are pushing me to finish.

[Poppy]: Sorry. It’s nothing, really.

[Poppy]: And I’ll still be able to handle RFA too, don’t worry. I’m excited about it actually.

[Zen]: Your parents are pushing you to study business?

[Jumin Han]: It is useful to learn. Though I suppose only if you mean to go into work for a company.

 

_Like C &R? _

 

Poppy chewed her lip more, but no, now wasn’t the time to tell him. Not with Zen here, especially. After all there seemed to be tension between them, and she didn’t want to create problems - or worse, get kicked out of RFA already. She meant it; an excitement she hadn’t felt in a long time had gripped her about the possibility open to her, and she didn’t want to ruin her shot.

Maybe another time, maybe she could call him. Once she’d worked up the nerve.

 

[Zen]: Ugh shut up.

[Poppy]: Play nice you two.

[Zen]: No way I’m not being nice to that jerk

[Zen]: You just ignore him too, Poppy

[Zen]: He’s a pompous ass.

[Jumin Han]: And I should care about your opinion?

[Poppy]: He seems nice enough to me, really.

[Poppy]: Is there a reason you don’t think so?

[Zen]: UGH how can you say that!?

[Zen]: He’s a stuck up jerk who judges everyone with his petty standards, to start.

[Zen]: We just don’t get along. And you shouldn’t pay attention to him either.

[Jumin Han]: I think Poppy can decide for herself.

[Poppy]: Agreed. So far I like everyone in the RFA, I see no reason not to.

[Poppy]: You’ve all been very sweet, considering the circumstances.

[Jumin Han]: ...sweet?

[Zen]: I can believe it about me. But him!?

[Zen]: Tell me that was a typo.

[Poppy]: Why is that so hard to believe?

[Zen]: Give it time. You’ll see what a jerk he is.

[Zen]: Oh no...My director wants to have dinner with me...but I already ate;;

[Zen]: Guess I have to go since he basically owns me…

[Poppy]: I’m almost at my stop actually, I should hop off.

[Poppy]: It was lovely speaking with you both, though.

[Zen]: Lovely? Me, maybe.

[Jumin Han]: Hm.

[Jumin Han]: I should go and provide Elizabeth the 3rd her meal.

[Poppy]: Oh cute! Tell her I say hello, Jumin.

[Jumin Han]: I’m not making any promises but I’ll try.

[Zen]: You don’t need to say hello to cats…

[Zen]: Anyway I’ll be off.

[Jumin Han]: Goodbye for meow.

[Zen]: Don’t pretend to be a cat…

[Poppy]: Yes goodbye for meow~

[Zen]: Not you too…

[Poppy]: Hehe what? It’s fun.

[Poppy]: Meow meow~ Bye meow~

_Zen has left the chatroom._

[Jumin Han]: Ha. He left.

[Poppy]: Hehe oops?

[Jumin Han]: Don’t forget to eat dinner.

[Poppy]: I won’t :-) You as well.

[Jumin Han]: Of course. I always keep a regular schedule.

[Jumin Han]: Which reminds me. Until later.

_Jumin Han has left the chatroom._

 

Poppy closed the app and stood, bracing herself as the train slowed to a stop. She pushed past the small crowd to exit the train, lost in thought as she began to make her way through the station. Hardly paying attention to her surroundings she walked the familiar path from her station to her aunt’s apartment building. Musings over her day and what she would tell Agnes preoccupied her, and before she knew it she was fishing her keys from her bag and stopping in front of the door.

“I’m home,” she called softly as she closed the door behind her, locking it before she looked around the dimly lit living room.

“You’re home later than I thought,” a voice called from the kitchen.

With a small smile to herself Poppy wandered in that direction, stopping to linger just beside the edge of the counter. She was a terrible liar, and worried if her aunt asked her too much she’d trip up and confess to having missed the internship. So she folded her arms, watching as Agnes took another teacup down from the cabinet, holding it up in silent offer to Poppy.

“Just tried to make a good impression on my first day,” Poppy offered as an explanation as she shook her head to refuse tea.

“How did it go?” Agnes put the teacup back in the cabinet, instead focusing on preparing the one she was making for herself.

“It was good, good,” Poppy told her. “I’m exhausted, though, long day. And I have a few chapters to read before class tomorrow so I think I’ll just go to my room.”

“Aww, no fun stories from orientation?” Agnes asked, quirking one of her dark eyebrows. But the familiar sight of hazel eyes just reminded Poppy of her father, and a pang of guilt twisted her insides.

“Just paperwork and company policies, unfortunately,” Poppy deflected with a shrug. “Nothing exciting for a first day.”

“Maybe tomorrow then,” Agnes suggested, one side of her mouth tugging up in a small smirk. “They didn’t run you ragged so you didn’t get a chance to eat, did they?”

“I grabbed something, I’m fine.” Poppy waved a hand dismissively, taking a step back out of the kitchen. “Anyway, I should go study, maybe get to sleep early if I can.”

“All right,” Agnes said with a smile. She ran her fingers through her thick brown curls as she began to shuffle to the living room. “Get working, working girl. And give your father a call or a message at least. I’m sure he’d love to hear how things went.”

“Course.” With that Poppy nodded and turned to head for her room, happy that Agnes continued to give her space as she always did. It had been part of why she had so readily accepted her aunt’s offer to get away from everything for a while, once she’d told her what had happened. The reprieve from her parents and the stresses at home had been welcome, even if her father had jumped at the opportunity to insist she make it worthwhile with an internship if she was going.

Her bedroom door firmly shut behind her, she let out a sigh and set her leather messenger bag in her desk chair. As she pulled her sweater over her head she wondered at how she’d been worried Agnes would ask too many questions. For years, ever since they had moved back to London, she had spent several weeks over the summer holidays visiting Agnes in Seoul, and had always been given free reign during her stay. While she did care about her safety, Agnes’ entire philosophy in regards to her niece had always seemed to be hands off, respecting her autonomy and emphasizing the fact that she was not her parent, and thus wouldn’t treat her as if she was. A constant openness to listening to her problems or offering friendly, almost sisterly advice threaded its way through their relationship, but Agnes never pressed for details when Poppy didn’t want to provide them.

In fact, in the two months she had been here Agnes hadn’t even brought up Lydia or the troubles of the last few months. Instead she had offered her home as a refuge, and had only insisted on weekly movie nights complete with junk food and wine as a condition of staying with her for a year.

Feeling relieved that she could simply settle in for the evening, she changed out of her blouse and skirt, pulling on her cotton pyjama set. She pulled her phone and book from her bag, stretching out on her bed so that she could continue reading. A smidge of guilt filled her when she thought about the reading she had to do for class, compiling with the guilt of ditching her internship - but she opened the chat app as well as her book.

The idea of messaging her father was too daunting, and she decided to push it off until later. She could always make the excuse that she had been too busy making certain to finish her coursework when she got home. After all, he couldn’t fault her for that. In the meantime, she’d give herself a rest from trying to figure out how to handle her strange situation.

There was no changing the past, so what was the point in focusing on it now?

Hours passed, so absorbed in her book and occasionally chatting with any RFA members who popped into the chatroom that she didn’t realize how late it was until her phone gave a melodic beep. When she swiped open the screen she was surprised to see who it was, as well as the fact that it was after two in the morning.

 

[Jumin Han]: ...you’re still awake?

[Poppy]: Hello meow.

[Jumin Han]: ?

[Jumin Han]: Cat language…?

[Jumin Han]: Or typo?

[Poppy]: Sorry, just continuing our teasing from earlier, hehe.

[Jumin Han]: I see.

[Jumin Han]: Everyone seems excited now that we can hold parties again thanks to you.

[Jumin Han]: Personally, I am not sure we should start making a big fuss for a party we haven’t even confirmed a date for.

 

So he did always go back and read messages he had missed. They all seemed to, though she supposed it made sense. After all, sometimes they were discussing RFA business and talking about it so that the others would see it later to address as well. Still there was an element of making certain she always watched what she was saying, considering she wasn’t quite sure what to make of everyone yet.

 

[Jumin Han]: Since expressing excitement is basically a labor for me.

[Poppy]: Well...emotions don’t last forever.

[Poppy]: To be quite honest, I’m worried everyone’s excitement will just turn into disappointment because of me.

[Jumin Han]: There’s no need to get hung up on things that don’t last.

[Jumin Han]: You should use that time to acquire things that do last forever.

[Jumin Han]: Do you like cats?

[Poppy]: I do, very much so.

[Jumin Han]: Good.

 

To Poppy’s surprise he immediately sent her a picture of his cat, belly exposed and her piercing blue eyes staring up into the camera. Considering how protective he had seemed to be of his cat when they first began speaking, she felt pleased to see him openly sharing such a photo with her now when they were alone. He could have been cold, or seen that she was on alone and not spoken with her.

Instead he was being - positively _friendly_.

 

[Poppy]: She’s absolutely gorgeous.

[Poppy]: Does she let you actually rub her belly? I know some cats don’t allow it.

[Jumin Han]: She does.

[Jumin Han]: She’s a great example of a beautiful cat, I am pleased that you recognize it as well.

[Jumin Han]: She looks elegant in any pose.

[Poppy]: She really does. How cute!

[Jumin Han]: I wish to be with her all the time, but we frequently have to part ways because of my business trips.

[Poppy]: Aw, you must really cherish her. Is there a particular reason?

[Jumin Han]: Her existence itself is a blessing.

[Jumin Han]: I suppose I do have a reason but I don’t wish to explain it now. Let’s just say I got her from a very important friend.

[Poppy]: What a lovely gift.

[Jumin Han]: She is.

[Jumin Han]: Until Assistant Kang started working for me, I always felt great pain leaving her in an empty home, but now that I can leave her with Assistant Kang, I feel more relieved.

[Jumin Han]: I can always trust Assistant Kang.

[Jumin Han]: But if I start a cat related business and use her as a model, I can be with her at work as well.

[Poppy]: Oh that would be so cute! And a good idea, then you wouldn’t have to leave her alone while you work. A win-win.

[Jumin Han]: I think so as well. Elizabeth the 3rd in any photo will look fantastic.

[Jumin Han]: I’ll have to hire the best photographer.

[Jumin Han]: I should have Assistant Kang write up a report for me on this.

 

Poppy giggled to herself, not realizing just how serious he had been about starting a cat business simply to be able to take Elizabeth with him to work. It was oddly endearing, picturing the beautiful white cat strutting around an office while people worked.

 

[Jumin Han]: Oh right.

[Jumin Han]: Talking about cats just reminded me. Are you aware you’ll be deciding on the party guests?

[Poppy]: Of course, Jaehee explained it to me.

[Poppy]: I mean, Assistant Kang. Sorry.

[Jumin Han]: I just wanted to make certain you were aware and understood. I am glad to hear that you are.

[Jumin Han]: I’d like to recommend a potential guest, if I may.

[Poppy]: Please do!

[Jumin Han]: I hope you consider a cat shelter organization I know. They are a nonprofit that provides shelter and help for street cats.

[Jumin Han]: I’m sure people will become more aware of cat rights if they attend the party.

[Poppy]: A shelter for street cats? That’s a lovely idea!

[Poppy]: Do you have their contact info?

[Jumin Han]: I am glad that you agree.

[Jumin Han]: I will have Assistant Kang reach out to them and encourage them to contact you for more information.

[Jumin Han]: Thank you for considering my suggestion.

[Poppy]: Of course. Not just because it’s my job, I just…

[Poppy]: I think that’s a worthy cause.

[Jumin Han]: I do as well.

[Jumin Han]: I am happy to meet a fellow animal lover. They say you can tell a lot about someone depending on if they like animals or not.

[Poppy]: I agree with that sentiment. I’ve always loved animals, but cats have always been my favourite.

[Jumin Han]: I am pleased to hear that. Perhaps you can meet Elizabeth the 3rd someday, or perhaps I’ll bring her to the party again.

[Poppy]: You’ve brought her before?

[Jumin Han]: I didn’t want her to be alone.

[Poppy]: Of course.

[Jumin Han]: Well, it’s early but I have a long day ahead of me. I actually need to get ready for work.

[Poppy]: Already? What long hours. I’m sure it must be tough to say goodbye to her for so long every day.

[Poppy]: Cheer up ^^

[Jumin Han]: I can never get used to saying goodbye. But oh well, there’s nothing I can do.

[Jumin Han]: I must get going now. It was nice speaking with you again.

[Poppy]: You as well.

[Jumin Han]: Get some sleep, and have a good day, Poppy.

_Jumin Han has left the chatroom._

 

Poppy smiled, closing out of the app and placing her bookmark to hold her spot before she set her book aside. Sitting up she stretched, realizing she should head to bed if she didn’t want to be completely exhausted for class in the morning. As soon as she stood her phone beeped once more and she raised an eyebrow, picking it up to check the message.

 

 _Jumin Han (sent 2:25):_ Elizabeth the 3rd must not want to say goodbye. She’s rubbing on my legs and purring. It makes it that much harder to leave her for work...

 

She was surprised at the text, the casual friendliness of the chitchat and continuation of their conversation outside of the chatroom.

 

_Aww, she’ll miss you during the day! And perhaps she knows how much you’ll miss her as well._

 

 _Jumin Han (sent 2:26):_ All the more reason to draw up a report for a new cat business. I need to remember to contact a photographer today.

 

_I look forward to seeing how the photoshoot turns out! Then again with her as a model everything will look perfect._

 

 _Jumin Han (sent 2:26):_ Someone else appreciates her elegance finally. I am glad you joined RFA.

 

_Thank you._

 

She didn’t know what else to say, feeling her cheeks heat as she reread the messages to make certain she hadn’t misread his words. So far to the others she had seen him act distant, but she recalled the phone call earlier in the day, and now stared at the texts he had sent with a slight frown on her face.

It puzzled her, but then again it was late and she was incredibly tired from the events of the day. Maybe in the morning she’d realize he had simply been trying to be welcoming to their newest member.

Pushing aside the curiosity she wandered from her room to wash her face and brush her teeth, feeling eager to sleep so that she could begin the new day - and spend more time on her exciting new work.


	3. Apologies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part of the "not canon compliant" tag is that I'm stretching out time, so time will continue to pass instead of everything happening within a week.

[707]: Gahhh I’m so hungry T_T

[707]: Sooooooo hungry…

 

Poppy sighed when she saw who it was, a pang of irritation coursing through her. She finished inputting the passcode into the door so that it beeped open, then closed it behind her and locked it once more before she made her way to the kitchen. Her phone had beeped and she had eagerly checked who it was even though her hands were full, hoping to speak with Jumin and make certain he was all right. Their phone call the night before had been stilted, he had almost sounded annoyed - yet he had still called her.

Just as he had been for weeks now.

Daily and nightly he called, sometimes to simply check on her, other times to ask her questions.

_ Do you believe objects have souls? _

_ Which type of wine do you prefer drinking? _

_ People sent me gift coupons, what do I do with them? _

_ What are you doing right now? Did I call too late? I hope I didn’t wake you. Did you have a proper dinner? _

It was strange but endearing the things he would call her about, the way he constantly checked to make certain she was all right and seemed to seek her counsel. It felt like friendship, even though he insisted he simply cared about the members of RFA. Yet she never heard mention of him calling to check on Yoosung or Seven the same way, and definitely not Zen.

He had even answered her once when she called with a brief, “I’m working. I’ll call you later.” And then he had, not long after, only serving to make her feel incredibly foolish that she had merely been calling with a silly question because she had wanted to chat.

_ You must be very comfortable with me. You wished to chat with me? No one has ever said that to me. As much as I am flustered, I am actually laughing. _

After that he had almost seemed to call more often, sometimes in the middle of the day when he took a break from his work. A few times he even remained on the phone with her when someone approached, not letting them cut his time speaking with her short. Once he had even told them to come back in a few minutes, telling them that he was busy and did not wish to be interrupted. It had surprised and somehow delighted her.

The others called her often as well, eager to get to know her, and she appreciated the soft attempts at girl talk from Jaehee and the playful teasing of Seven and Zen - usually, that was.

Grumbling to herself she set her takeout and her messenger bag on the kitchen counter, deciding to get it out before she replied.

 

[707]: Poppppppyyyyyyyy!!!! You’re here?

[Poppy]: Oh...it’s you.

[707]: …

[707]: Are you mad at me? T_T

[Poppy]: A little, to be honest. You were quite unfair last night.

[707]: I’m sorry!

[707]: I didn’t mean to!

[707]: Don’t be mad!

[707]: Will you forgive me?

 

Poppy chewed her lip for a moment, deciding to take a sip of the tea she had bought before she answered.

 

[Poppy]: I suppose, but it’s not entirely my place to forgive. But you’re right, you’ve said sorry and I accept.

[707]: I didn’t think about it too hard, I just wanted to get an answer from him. I forgot, with you present…

[707]: Of course it struck a nerve, considering why you’re here.

[Poppy]: Not another word.

[707]: Whoops! My bad

 

It had been silly of her to think that maybe he didn’t know, that maybe he hadn’t found out about Lydia and that whole fiasco. But part of it had played out publicly, considering how much of life involved social media now, and so it likely hadn’t been hard for him to figure out that aspect of her recent past. The way he had teased Jumin trying to get an answer about his sexuality had made her think perhaps he hadn’t known - after all if he did, she’d hoped he wouldn’t have pursued it as he had.

_ It’s a very sensitive topic, perhaps you should drop it? Besides, it’s possible to like both. Stop teasing him. Right now. _

The teasing had brought conflicted feelings in her to the surface, so that she found herself struggling against two rationales. Whatever Jumin’s preference, she supported him wholeheartedly - and yet she couldn’t help the small voice in her head that hoped desperately that Seven’s teasing didn’t have truth behind it.

The realization had come upon her why she called him so often to simply talk, why she looked forward to seeing him in the messenger. Over the last few weeks, she’d grown fond of him, enjoying his subtle wit and how often he called her under the guise of keeping fresh with his English.

She had a crush on Jumin Han, the man who had almost been her boss. The man she had instead met in bizarre circumstances and been granted personal access in a way others could only dream. The man often referred to as one of the most eligible bachelors in the country if not the world. 

Yet when she thought about him, she only thought of the man who called to make certain she had eaten, that she felt safe at Rika’s apartment, that she had had a good day. He was the man who called to tell her random stories about Elizabeth the 3rd because he knew they’d make her smile and laugh. Or the few times he had called to say he was stressed and her voice was soothing to him, though he didn’t understand why...

 

[707]: You still there? Or are you still mad at me ><

[Poppy]: Sorry, was getting my takeout.

[707]: Oh gooooood lunch!

[707]: Don’t just eat Honey Buddha Chips like me! Eat real food

[Poppy]: I got a salad and some tea. Please tell me you’re not just eating chips again…

[707]: ...ok I won’t tell you.

[Poppy]: siiiiiiiiigh

[707]: Honey Buddha gives me life! That and messing with someone

[707]: ...but after last night maybe I’ll just focus on Honey Buddha

[Poppy]: Good idea.

[707]: You always stick up for Jumin, I noticed. Is there a reason why? Hmmmmm??

[Poppy]: He’s kind, and funny, and intelligent.

[707]: GASP

[707]: Are we talking about the same Jumin Han?

[Poppy]: Whatever. I think he’s nice.

[707]: Wow. Never thought I’d see the day! Lolololol

[707]: Awwwww how nice

[Poppy]: Sarcasm?

[707]: No! I mean it.

_ Jumin Han has entered the chatroom. _

[Jumin Han]: So bored.

[Poppy]: Jumin! Hello.

[Jumin Han]: Hello, Poppy.

[Poppy]: How did your lunch go?

[Jumin Han]: I’m just sitting here. The meal isn’t done yet.

[Jumin Han]: Oh...I see you were just talking about me.

[707]: Was saying sorry for last night…

[Jumin Han]: I see. You are right to apologize to Poppy.

[Poppy]: Shouldn’t he apologize to you too?

[Jumin Han]: Why? I don’t care. So long as the childish conversation is over.

[707]: Ya. Lesson learned.

[707]: Poppy is scary when she’s angry. Like Jaehee

[Jumin Han]: I disagree.

[Poppy]: ...thank you?

[707]: lololol to which one?

[Poppy]: Either.

[707]: What’d you have for lunch?

 

Jumin sent a blurry picture of what looked like a steak, a glass of red wine and the hint of a business suit across the table from him. Poppy smiled, unable to resist thinking  _ how cute _ .

 

[Poppy]: ...was it good, at least?

[Jumin Han]: Good…? Did I think that? I don’t remember.

[Poppy]: You don’t?

[707]: WHAT

[707]: Partial amnesia?

[707]: Call an ambulance!! 

[707]: Drop the beat!

[Jumin Han]: Why drop the beat?

[707]: ...Couldn’t help myself lol

[Poppy]: Did you at least eat?

[Jumin Han]: What I could. I hope you have as well.

 

Poppy snapped a photo of her salad and tea and sent it along.

 

[Jumin Han]: Good girl. Nice to see someone else in the RFA knows the value of eating properly.

[Jumin Han]: Are you at the apartment?

[Poppy]: I am.

[707]: Done with school? Yay!

[Poppy]: Um...not exactly.

[Jumin Han]: You have more in the afternoon?

[Poppy]: So Jumin isn’t it...rude to be on your phone while at lunch with your father?

[Jumin Han]: He and the woman next to him are just drinking wine and talking to one another.

[707]: Poppy…

[707]: You not going to answer his question?

[Poppy]: The woman next to him?

[Jumin Han]: Yes. But Seven is right.

[Jumin Han]: Are you avoiding my question?

[Poppy]: Caught red-handed…

[707]: lololol

[Jumin Han]: What about your classes for the day?

[Poppy]: I...skipped them.

[Poppy]: Had work to do at the apartment…

 

It was only a small lie, really. Doing work for the RFA was part of it, but really it was that she preferred being here more than at class. And so lately, she hadn’t been going. For longer than she should probably confess to...

 

[Jumin Han]: You missed classes for your RFA work?

[707]: That doesn’t sound right…

[Poppy]: Can we please change the subject?

[Jumin Han]: I wish you would tell me why. It isn’t good to skip class.

[Poppy]: I...was busy. So I didn’t go.

[Jumin Han]: …

[707]: Uh oh.

[707]: We already have one bad student in the group

[707]: Next you’ll be talking about LOLOL! Quick get her help before she falls down the path to life as a hermit!

[707]: Mayday mayday! Drop the beat again!

[Jumin Han]: Poppy, how often have you skipped class lately?

[Poppy]: Umm…

[Poppy]: It’s fine, really.

[Poppy]: Still though, aren’t you not supposed to be on your phone when you’re having lunch with your father?

[Jumin Han]: In normal circumstances it would be very rude. But my father and his new current girlfriend are drinking wine and having their own little conversation.

[Jumin Han]: They haven’t even noticed I’m on my phone.

[Jumin Han]: There is nothing more for me to do here.

[Poppy]: You must be very uncomfortable right now…

[Jumin Han]: It is uncomfortable. I wish I could get back to the office as soon as possible.

[Jumin Han]: Although...now I am also thinking about you missing your classes. It is quite distracting.

[Poppy]: No, please - don’t worry about me. It’s fine, it’s nothing for you to concern yourself with.

[Jumin Han]: Actually, it is. I am concerned.

[Poppy]: I’m sorry I said anything…

[707]: Ya I bet you’re regretting it.

[Jumin Han]: Hm...

[Poppy]: Um so what did you have for lunch?

[Jumin Han]: Steak. I tasted it at least but...I lost my appetite.

[Jumin Han]: Oh, do either of you know the TV show “Mister Chef”?

[Poppy]: I’m familiar but I haven’t watched it.

[Jumin Han]: I didn’t know it at all.

[707]: What? How can u not know?!

[707]: Of course I do!! OF COURSE

[707]: I KNOW!

]Jumin Han]: Why the all caps?

[707]: For funsies!

[707]: That chef is so cool! But what about that show?

[Jumin Han]: Apparently the chef here was on that show.

[707]: OMG!! WHICH SEASON??

[Jumin Han]: I don’t know that.

[707]: No way. Can it be Melanie??

[707]: That would be so awesome!!

[Jumin Han]: Melanin? That reminds me of the skin cell that determines the color.

[707]: No. Not Melanin, Melanie!!

[707]: Melanie! The winner of Mister Chef two seasons ago!

[Jumin Han]: Melly smelly.

[707]: What.

[707]: What was that.

[Jumin Han]: A joke.

[707]: Then fail. FAIL!!

[Jumin Han]: Pale?

[707]: FAIL!!

[Poppy]: hahaha

[Jumin Han]: She laughed.  **I’m glad** .

[707]: Dude stop lol. Can’t you tell she’s just being polite? Lolol

[Poppy]: Not true. I actually laughed out loud at that

[707]: Seriously...your jokes in this chat room aren’t funny.

[Jumin Han]: …

[Poppy]: I disagree. I always laugh at his jokes…

[Jumin Han]: That makes me happy.

[707]: ...wow.

[707]: Don’t know what to say to that.

[707]: I cannot believe you have that steak - the one that he said tasted like heaven - in front of you.

[707]: And all you did was take that crappy photo.

[Poppy]: Jumin’s already good at a lot of things, he can’t be perfect at everything.

[Poppy]: Plus I think it’s cute.

[Jumin Han]: ...cute?

[707]: Yeah wait what

[707]: Poppy...are you...feeling ok?

[Poppy]: Perfectly fine, thank you. How are you?

[Jumin Han]: lol

[707]: Did you...just lol?

[707]: What. What is happening...

[Jumin Han]: It was funny.

 

Poppy felt herself flush, grateful to have moved the conversation away from her classes and yet not entirely certain about the direction it had taken. She drained the rest of her tea, taking a moment to hope that they could gloss over the fact that she had just defended Jumin by calling him cute. Part of her doubted Seven would let up that easily, though she hoped that a gentle reminder of the previous evening could curtail any of his teasing. He owed her that much, after all.

 

[707]: We should invite him!

 

She’d missed enough messages that they had moved on, thankfully, and she was happy to see that they had moved away from what she had said.

 

[Poppy]: Good idea.

[Jumin Han]: Alright, I’ll tell Assistant Kang to reach him so he can email you.

[Jumin Han]: Wait.

[Jumin Han]:  **Poppy. Classes.**

[Poppy]: Hm?

[707]: lolololol

[707]: He didn’t forget

[Jumin Han]: No. I didn’t.

[Jumin Han]: I’m still concerned.

[Poppy]: As I said, I’m fine.

_ Jumin Han has left the chatroom. _

[707]: He left.

[707]: Maybe Mr. Chairman caught him on his phone.

[Poppy]: Maybe...I’m surprised it hadn’t happened yet.

[707]: That or…

[Poppy]: You don’t think he’s mad at me, do you?

[707]: idk

[707]: Oh - work calling.

 

But Poppy’s screen was taken up by a call of its own.

 

**Jumin Han.**

 

[Poppy]: Gotta go…

 

“Hello?”

“Poppy,” Jumin greeted immediately. In the background she could almost hear what sounded like traffic, street noise, and someone else speaking nearby.

“Um, did you - did you step away from the table?” she asked, and she hated that her voice sounded so small in comparison to his.

“Yes, I needed to speak with you. It was weighing heavily on my mind that you have been skipping classes,” he answered easily, his English firm and almost clipped. “Is your work for the RFA that time consuming? You have not expressed any hardship in the weeks since you joined us. And a date hasn’t been set yet, we’ve just been in preliminary preparations.”

“It’s - it’s not that.” She heaved a sigh, chewing her lip as she fidgeted with the hem of her skirt where it rested above her knee.

“Please explain, then,” he prompted her. “If the work is too much -”

“No! No, no, it - it isn’t,” she hurried to assure him. The idea that he might think her incapable or incompetent was too much, and she wanted to make certain he didn’t think she needed help.

“You said you skipped class to do work at the apartment for the party,” Jumin pointed out. His voice didn’t sound angry, or irritated. Just a vague, curious concern lurked beneath his tone and the way he patiently waited for an answer.

Resigning herself to explaining, she took a deep breath and prayed that her voice wouldn’t shake. “I - I just meant that I - preferred to be here doing work,” she told him. “It’s more rewarding, to be quite honest.”

“I see,” he said slowly, and then paused for a moment. “Are the classes too difficult? Are you having issues focusing? How are your professors? Is it too easy, perhaps? Maybe you need a challenge, instead.”

“I - I don’t struggle, it’s,” she paused, trying to think how best to answer, “it’s not as interesting. I would rather be here, at the apartment, where it’s quiet and I can - do what I want.” Her voice trailed off, and she mentally chided herself for the timid confession. 

“You must finish school before you can work,” he insisted. “You are still young, and need to acquire your education before you can begin to work. You told me it is your last year at university, is it not? You’ve come this far.”

“I’ve come this far doing something I don’t enjoy,” she muttered before she could stop herself. Sitting up straight she stared around the apartment, trying to find the words to cover her blunder. She hadn’t meant to be so honest.

“You don’t enjoy what you’re studying?” he asked, and a thoughtfulness came into his voice when he continued. “Is that the problem?”

“It’s - it’s making me miserable,” Poppy admitted, realizing there was no point in continuing to hide it now that she’d blurted it out. “I never wanted to study business, I’m - I’m much more interested in reading about history, studying French and literature from the - never mind. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t burden you with my problems. It’s my fault if I do not go to class, you don’t need to concern yourself -”

“Poppy,” he interrupted, firmly but gently. “You are a member of RFA now, and it is my duty to watch over all of the members. But also you are - important. Your well-being matters, and if you are not happy -”

“You have to run a massive company, you don’t need to worry about me,” Poppy grumbled.

“If you are not content, it may affect your work for the RFA,” he suggested. “It’s a problem we should fix.”

“We can’t,” she told him. “It’s my final year - I need to just put up with it and finish. It’s just been hard, lately. I enjoy the RFA more, and let myself get distracted. I should just - start going back to classes and finish. No matter how I feel about it.”

“May I ask - why study business if you do not enjoy it?”

“I - I suppose expectations. My father is a businessman, he’s always pushed me to get a steady job, to follow his path,” she explained with a sigh. “He pushed me away from studying history like I wanted, said there’s no point if you’re not going to teach. And I just want to - study it. Just read it all day, talk about it, but - that is not ‘profitable.’ So I’m studying business.”

“I see,” Jumin mused. “Were you to have a position because of your degree?”

“Maybe,” she murmured. “But what then? Just keep going with something that makes me miserable? My whole life in an office, no time to do what I really enjoy...what good would money be then? I just - I can’t look forward to the future.”

“Hm,” he hummed for a moment, but she could hear a deep voice speaking near him. He replied softly in rapid Korean, and then sighed. “I will think about solutions for this problem. In the meantime - will you promise me to go to class? Until we figure out a solution? I do not want you wasting your education.”

“I - I don’t really understand why you care so much -”

“It is important to me,” Jumin hurried to say. “Please, Poppy. I will call you later. Go to class, and I will speak with you this evening.”

“All right,” Poppy agreed softly. “Thank you, I will - I’ll go to class. I promise.”

A soft, breathy laugh left him. “Thank you, Poppy. Have a good day. We’ll speak later.”

He hung up, and Poppy stared at her phone screen as it dimmed for a moment while she processed what had just happened. Had he really stepped away from lunch with his father to speak with her privately? And taking such an interest in what she was doing, how she was feeling about it - it seemed strange, yet he had been so earnest about it.

Noticing the time, Poppy hopped off the kitchen stool she had been sitting on and began to gather her items. He’d made her promise to go to her classes, and she had time to make it to her afternoon lecture.

She knew he’d call to check on her that evening, as he had every night since she had joined the RFA - and she didn’t want to let him down after he’d made certain to elicit a promise from her. 


	4. A New Project

“You’re late! I was almost going to have to start without you.”

“Sorry, Ags,” Poppy dragged out the apology, rolling her eyes as she shut the front door and turned.

A spray of cold water to her face made her splutter, stopping in her tracks as she took a moment to register what had happened. Familiar hearty laughter filled the room as Poppy wiped at her face to clear her vision.

“Serves you right,” Agnes chided, holding up the spray bottle she used to mist her potted plants. “Surely as an intern you don’t need to keep such long hours.”

Poppy shook her head, trying to fight the smirk that would give away the prize she carried in a paper bag. “No, I made a stop.”

“Poppy, darling, I know you’ve been having a rough time,” Agnes began as she set aside the spray bottle. “But you don’t need to buy illicit soju or whatever is in that bag -”

“God, Ags, that’s not it at all,” she scoffed, laughing as she closed the distance between them. She opened the paper bag so that the delicious smell could waft out, playfully using a hand to wave it in her aunt’s direction.

“Are those - you mean you were late to bring us goldfish shaped buns?”

“Not just goldfish shaped buns - the _best_ _bungeo-ppang_ , according to - a friend of mine,” Poppy caught herself.

“Oooh, and who’s this friend?” Agnes asked as she wandered into the kitchen.

“One of the other interns,” Poppy explained, shrugging out of her coat to hang beside the door. As she slipped off her shoes she continued. “There’s this food truck near where he lives that he recommended, and so I decided to try it out for us. Junk food and movie night needs junk food, right?”

“Guess that leaves me in charge of the wine and movies,” Agnes called from the kitchen. “I was thinking we go classic, nostalgic.”

“Like what?” Poppy sank onto the sofa, placing the bag of  _ bungeo-ppang _ on the coffee table. She got her phone out and fidgeted with the RFA messenger, checking to see if anyone was around or if she had missed any texts. The last she had was from Zen, lamenting the fact she’d be so close and he was missing a chance to see her stopping by the food truck.

“How about - Brendan Fraser Night? It’s a Friday, we’ve got time for  _ The Mummy, The Mummy Returns - George of the Jungle _ , maybe?” Agnes stopped beside the sofa, holding out a giant balloon wine glass almost full to the brim with red wine.

Poppy laughed at the pour, carefully accepting her glass so that she could take a few sips until it wasn’t quite so dangerously full. “That all sounds wonderful,” she murmured, absently swiping her phone open again as she sipped at her wine.

“Hey working girl,” Agnes scolded, playfully swatting Poppy’s arm. “It’s this thing called the weekend, and it’s our sacred movie night. Remember? Too much wine and fit blokes, until we’re ashamed of ourselves in the morning.”

“Speak for yourself,” Poppy teased, grinning wickedly when Agnes shot her a glare. “I was just checking to make sure I hadn’t missed an email or something. Checking the group - text - going with the other interns, one of them has been pranking the other. It was hilarious.”

It had been easiest to tell Agnes the other members of the RFA were interns, and overall it had added credibility to her lies that she was continuing at C&R. Coming home with stories of Seven’s jokes and Yoosung’s whining about classes and LOLOL had been a wonderful deflection from the fact she had been skipping classes to read for leisure in a dead woman’s apartment.

At least, until about a week ago when Jumin had encouraged her to do her best for the time being. Since that day he had called her whenever he had a chance, discussing classes with her as well as checking in with how they were going. Considering how much he had talked about caring and emotions as being wastes of energy and time for him, she was amazed at the way he used some of his valuable free time to call her.

Every time she saw his caller ID her heart raced, even if she almost expected a scolding tone as he asked her about her classes. His sudden interest was so intriguing, so curious, and she couldn’t help but feel giddy as a schoolgirl when she heard him greet her.

“So? What was the prank?” Agnes’ voice pulled her out of her reveries, and she glanced up from her phone.

“Oh. So - you know Seven, right? He managed to convince Yoosung that he had a condition where caffeine made him faint,” Poppy explained, remembering the hilarity from earlier in the day in the messenger. “Poor Yoosung - he’s so gullible he believed it. He was terrified, asking everyone to check on him, saying he was wrapped in a blanket ready to pass out.”

“Poor Yoosung,” Agnes agreed, laughing even as she said it. “How did Seven manage to convince him of  _ that _ ?”

“He faked a Wikipedia article,” Poppy told her, giggling before she took another gulp of wine. 

“That’s an elaborate prank. Do you do any actual work with those long hours you’ve been keeping?”

“I’m offended,” Poppy deadpanned, but then giggled as she raised her glass once more. A familiar melody began to play and she glanced at the phone she held, lowering her glass when she saw the caller ID. “Um - I need to take this.”

She hopped up, guarding the phone from Agnes’ prying eyes as she hurried to her room. As soon as the door closed, she answered.

“Jumin! How are you?”

“Poppy, you took a few rings to answer. I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” he greeted in his smooth, softly accented English.

“Oh, not really. Just enjoying a glass of wine. I went by and got some  _ bungeo-ppang _ from the food truck Zen always talks about, too.” She sat on her bed, taking a sip of wine as she tried to fight the way her heart was racing.

“Fish bread?”

“Surely you’ve seen it, Seven and Zen were both talking about it in the messenger the other day.”

“I saw them talking about it but I am...unfamiliar with it.” There was a hint of curiosity in his voice, and it made her giggle.

“We should try it sometime. It’s really good.”

“Hm. That would be interesting, you’re right. Could you tell me its origin as well when we do?”

Poppy giggled harder, chewing her bottom lip to try to get herself under control. Giggling like a schoolgirl at everything he said wasn’t ideal. “I’ll look it up so I can tell you.”

“Thank you, I appreciate it,” he told her. He always sounded so formal, and yet she could detect sincerity in his tone, the slightest hint that he was serious and not just being polite. “How were your classes today?”

“Fine. Just a lecture and then a guest speaker,” she told him. “My professor kept using C&R as an example today in class, it was hard not to laugh. It would have been hard to explain that I speak with their director frequently.”

A soft chuckle left him, and she felt her heart race at the idea that he was laughing at something she said. “Hopefully he was using C&R as an accurate example.”

“I think it was just the easiest example of a large, international corporation. Everyone in the class knew it,” she explained.

“Ah, of course,” he agreed. “Did you make the appointment to speak with your advisor?”

“Sent the email this morning, as promised.”

“Good girl.”

Poppy smiled to herself, considering her glass of wine as she pondered the way hearing those words from him somehow meant so much. No encouragement or scolding from her parents had ever had the same motivation or effect as a few simple words of interest and praise from Jumin.

“Thank you for helping me, I still really appreciate it,” she said, thinking perhaps she’d waited long enough for her voice to steady itself. When it still managed to sound like a hoarse squeak, she quickly took a gulp of wine to calm her nerves.

Why did she have to fancy  _ him _ ? And why did he have to be so bloody caring to her all the time?

“As you’ve said before, but as I said I’m merely doing as I should for a member of the RFA. Especially the Coordinator.” 

He paused for a moment, and she waited for him to launch into an explanation of his day or some other musing as he normally did. She always looked forward to hearing his thoughts so much, but as the silence stretched she found herself frowning, wondering at it.

“Jumin, are you all right?”

“Just more on my mind than normal,” he answered briskly.

Remembering the gossip news Jaehee had mentioned giving her trouble earlier that day, she realized he was likely trying not to think about it. Besides checking on her classes, she wondered if he had called for a distraction, or perhaps - comfort?

“Are you at least home now?” she asked.

“I am. I’m also enjoying a glass of wine while petting Elizabeth the 3rd.”

“Oh how wonderful. I’m sure you missed her all day.” After a sip of her wine and a moment spent considering how she could best distract him from his father’s most recent scandal, she remembered one of their previous talks. “Oh, did you decide on a new cat business? I’m sure that would be an excellent way to handle your stress, and you could take Elizabeth the 3rd to work with you.”

“I did think on one, but I’ve actually found an excellent distraction at the moment,” he told her.

“You have? What is it?”

“I’m doing it right now.”

“Wine?”

“Speaking with you. Your voice is...soothing. But also helping you figure out your future and classes has been an interesting exercise. I’ve never had to do anything like it,” he explained, a thoughtful hum leaving him as he finished. “Fascinating.”

“R-really? You’re enjoying it?”

“Yes, as I said,” he assured her, as though he was surprised by her reaction. “Hmm, but just focusing on your classes at present is only a temporary solution, since it still isn’t what you want to do. I was thinking about it earlier during my break, and was considering other ways to approach this.”

“Oh?” she prompted, raising an eyebrow as she tried to wrap her mind around what he was saying. He was...caring that much about this? About her?

“Yes, but to get at the heart of the problem would be difficult over the phone. It will take more time than can be dedicated to sitting and speaking like this,” he pointed out, as if it was an obvious problem. “Your classes are over in the morning on Monday, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“Then you are free in the evening. I would like for you to join me for dinner, so that we can talk at length.”

“Y-you want me to join you for dinner?” she stuttered out. Raising her glass she took a long gulp of wine, trying to steady herself. The image of sitting across from him at dinner swam across her mind and made her stomach clench.

“Yes. I’ll have Assistant Kang make the reservation, and send you the details. If you let me know an address I could send a car, I’ll have it pick you up as well. I can’t know the address to Rika’s apartment, but I’m assuming you have somewhere else you’ve been staying?”

“Y-yes, my aunt’s. I - Jumin, really, you don’t have to take the time -”

“Send me the address when you get a chance, then.” He talked over her denial, as if he hadn’t heard it. “Well, I should spend more time with Elizabeth the Third. Have a good night, and get plenty of rest. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“G-good night, Jumin.”

The line went dead, and for a moment she merely stared at her phone, feeling in shock. Remembering movie night, she finally pushed herself from her bed and left her room.

To her surprise Agnes was sitting on the sofa waiting with a thoughtful frown on her face.

“Sorry that took so long,” she apologized with a smile she hoped didn’t look forced. Her mind was still racing over the phone call, and she suddenly found she wasn’t really in the mood for movie night. But she’d promised, and maybe it would be a good chance to try to calm herself.

_ Dinner - with Jumin. _

“Poppy,” Agnes began slowly, and when Poppy glanced over she saw Agnes watching her carefully. “I know I never interfere, and I won’t. I just want to say something, and take it as friendly advice, not judgment.”

Poppy’s heart sped up, and all she could think was that Agnes must have heard her say his name, or accidentally seen the caller ID. She gulped but nodded, trying her best not to look guilty.

“Just be careful. Powerful men aren’t used to hearing no, and I’d hate to see you get more hurt. You were already having such a rough time after things ended with Lydia,” Agnes said. But she reached over and took Poppy’s hand, squeezing her fingers gently. “You have a level head on your shoulders, though, just - listen to what it tells you, okay?”

“Thanks, Ags,” Poppy managed to say, squeezing her aunt’s fingers before she pulled her hand away.

Of course - Agnes thought he was her boss. But now wasn’t the time to come clean, and Poppy found herself wondering if she would ever be able to.

To either of them.


End file.
